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Aug. 28,1928. 1,682,133

' J. B. LADD AUTOMATIC SKID Filed July 14, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet l.QFTORNEV J. B. LADD AUTOMATIC SKI D Filed July 14, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Aug. 28, 1928. v 1,682,133

J.B.LADD

. AUTOMATIC SKID Filed July 14, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEI HER Aug. 28,1928. 1,682,133

J. B. LADD AUTOMATIC SKID Filed July 14, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 F2 6 7Fly] [III v ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 2 8, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. LADD, OF ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED STATES CASTIRON PIPE AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORA-TION OF NEW JERSEY.

Application filed July 14,

My invention relates to centrifugal pipe casting'niachines of the typein which the mold is a permanent part of the machine and the cast pipeis withdrawn therefrom. In

such machines inclined skids are convenient means for receiving thepipes but are, unless retracted, in the way of moving parts of thecasting machine during its normal operation. Such skids when inoperative position or when being brought to operative position areliable to contact with enlarged portions of the pipe with consequentdanger of breakage.

The object of my invention is, in the first place to provide retractableskids with elasti- 5 cally supported terminal ends which can rock out ofthe way if they contact with enlarged portions of the pipe and in thesecond place to provide the retractable skids with operating mechanismworking in synchronism with 2 the operations of the casting machinewhereby the'skids are moved to operative position at the time when thecast pipe is being with-- drawn ftom the mold and withdrawn after thedelivery of the pipe.

Detailed features of my invention will be best understood as describedin connection with the drawings, which show it in what I believe to beits best embodiment and in which Figure 1 is a planview of my improved:0 apparatus shown in an intermediate posit-ion during the movement ofthe carriage, in

i which the pipe is partially withdrawn from the mold.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1, with theparts in the same relative positions.

Figure 3 is a similar elevation with the carriage and mold shown as inthe position in which the pipe is entirely withdrawn from the mold andrests upon the skids.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional elevation on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional elevation on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Figure 6 is an elevation on an enlarged scale of the end of one of theskids with the pipe shown resting upon it.

Figure 7 is a cross section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is a cross section on the line 88 of Fig. 4.

Figure 9 is a. sectional view taken on the AUTOMATIC skin.

1926. Serial No. 122,490.

same plane as Fig. 7, showing the operation of the hinged skid ends inconnection with the bell of the pipe.

F gure 10 is an end elevation, and

Figure 11 is a plan view showing the operation of the hingedelastically'supported skid end in connection with the bell end of thepipe. Figures 12 and 13 show the same parts with the hinged end of theskid shifted to avoid breakage by reason of its contact with the bellend of the pipe. A, A indicate tracks for the mold supporting carriage.supported on a frame, indicated at A A indicating an extension of theframe which supports the pipe gripping mechanism indicated at E. B-isthe mold carriage supported on the track through the flanged wheelsindicated at B 13, etc C indicates B. D indicates the centrifugal castpipe. E as before mentioned is the pipe gripping mechanism. 7, f. arepipe receiving skids located at one side of the machine and on which thepipes are delivered by the skids indicated at i, G. F. F. indicatebrackets secured to the casing A and supporting rollers F F The skids Grest upon the rollers F and are also indicated by flanges F extendinglaterally from a tongue F of the bracket F as is best shown in Fig. 8.Near the end of the skids G a hinge pin G is supported in lugs Gr formmga hinged support for the skid ends supporting piece indicated at H,which is formed with slots as indicated at H and to which the end piecesof the skids are secured by bolts H and adjusting screws indicated at H.The supporting piece H and skid end H are normally supported in theposition shown in Figs. 6 and 7 by the springs G, which springs,however, permit them to move out of position as shown for instance inFig. 9. The extreme end of the piece H is bent at an angle as in-.dicated at h.

I is a bracket extending out from the carriage B and supporting a cam 1,best shown in Figs. 1 and 4. In this cam is indicated a cam roller Jsecured on the end of a lever J, J pivoted at I on a pivot supported bya bracket I and having its end J 2 connected by a link J 3 with a pivotpin J on arm J which in turn is pivotally supported at J on the stirrupJ 9 and pivotally connected at the mold rotatably supported in thecarriage J with the link J. pivoted to the end of the 'lil skid G at d.The link J is formed with detent notches as indicated at J and J K is acam best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. this cam being secured to-the bottom ofthe reciproeating mold carriage and operating upon the end of a rod Kthe upper end of which is guided by a strip K while the lower end ispivotally connected at K with a lever arm K pivoted at K and carrying adetent finger K at its free end, which when in its lowermost positionengages in one of the detents J or J I In operation the mold carriage I8is given a reciprocating movement during the pouring of the metal andagain during the operation of withdrawing the cast pipe from the mold,this apparatus being of the familiar lDe liavaud type. The withdrawal ofthe pipe being etlected as indicated by a gripping device l5 enteringthe bell end of the pipe and holding the pipe in fixed position whilethe carriage and mold move away from it,

as indicated in Fig. 1. l l hen the carriage is in its extreme righthand position both of the skids G are necessarily retracted and heldlocked in retracted position by the engagement of the detent finger Kwith the detent notch J as indicated in Fig. 5. [is the carriage movestoward the left the cam ll pressing against the upper endof the rod Kpushes it down and through the connections described, lifts the lockingfinger K out of the detent notch'and following this release of the linkJ the cam I is so formed as to act upon the roller J and shift the leverfrom the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 4, as a resultof which the skid G is thrust forward to the position shown in Fig. 4and at the right hand of Fig. 1, so as to extend beneath the pipe as theright hand end ,of the pipe is freed from the mold. The skid is lockedin this position by the detent K being permitted by the cam K to enterthe detent notch J 5 as shown in Fig. 4. As the carriage B moves furtherto the left the cams K and l engage the mechanism of the second skidreleasing it from retracted and locked position, forcing it inward to aposi tion beneath the pipe and looking; it in this position, themechanism being in all respects that described in connection with theright hand of the two retractable skids.

lit will be obvious of course, that as the mold carriage after deliveryof the pipe moves toward the right, the action of the molds will beexactly the reverse of that above described, each skid beingsuccessivelyunlocked retracted and again locked in retracted position.

neeaiss lt will also be understood that when the pipe is freed from themold it will roll down on the inclined skids G on to the fixed receivingskids marked 7, as best indicated in F ig. l.

lhe elastically supported end piece forthe retractable skids shown indetail. in Figs. (3 to 13, are hinged and shaped as shown, so that incase they come in contact with the bell ends of the pipe, breakage willbe avoided by the yielding of the skid ends.

Having now described my invention, what ll claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is z 1. in combination with a centrifugal pipecasting machine having a longitudinally reciprocating; mold carryingcarriage, approximately horizontal pipe receiving skids longitudinallymovable in a direction transverse to the line of movement of thecarriage to and from a pipe receiving position and a retracted positionin which they will be outside of the path of the carriage and meansactuated by the carriage for shifting the skids to pipe receivingposition as the carriage moves away from their path of movement andretracting them as the carriage moves in a reverse direction.

2. In combination with a centrifugal pipe casting, machine having alongitudinally reciprocating mold carrying carriage. approxi-' mate'lyhorizontal pipe skids inclined to a horizontal plane and longitudinallymovable in a direction transverse to the line of movement of thecarriage to and from a pipe receiving position and a retracted positlonin which they will lie outside of the path of the carriage and meansactuated by the carriage for shifting the skids to pipe receivingposition as the carriage moves away from their path of movement andretracting them as the carriage moves in a reverse direction.

3. In an apparatus having the features of claim 1 the construction ofthe skids with terminal sections hinged to the outer ends of the skidsand normally held in operative position by springs.

4. ln .an apparatus having the features of claim 1 the combinationtherewith of automaticully acting locking means securing the skids inpipe receiving position and means operated by the movements of thecarriage for releasing the locking means prior to the withdrawal of theskids.

5. ln an apparatus having the features of claim 1 the constructivefeatures by which the individual skids are independently movable and areactuated successively by the means actuated by the carriage.

JAMES ll. LADD.

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